San Lo Bi Pn 47Making Not Be a Nun

Explanation of the Sutra: Things That Prevent One from Becoming a Bhikkhunī

Background

The San Lo Bi Pn 47 chapter belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga section, where rules of practice for bhikkhunīs (female monastics) are recorded. The Vinaya Piṭaka is a collection of disciplinary instructions issued by the Buddha Śākyamuni to maintain purity, harmony, and spiritual progress within the community of the Bodhisattva Sangha.

In the historical context, the bhikkhunī Sangha was established after the Buddha accepted the request of Thamitta — his foster mother. However, managing a monastic organization composed mostly of women required detailed and clear regulations. San Lo Bi Pn 47 specifically addresses borderline situations, the conditions that prevent a woman from being recognized or from maintaining the status of a bhikkhunī.

Main Content

According to the Theravāda tradition, “things that prevent one from becoming a bhikkhunī” (abhikṣuṇī-karaṇāni) refers to factors that make acceptance impossible (paccaya-patisedha) — wrongful conditions or basic defects that render ordination or formal reception unlawful.

These cases include: if the person seeking ordination lacks suitable bodily conditions (for example, certain congenital defects or chronic illnesses considered obstructive), if she is not officially recognized by the full Sangha through the Upasampadā ceremony (pabbajjā and upasampadā samatha), or if she violates basic prohibitions that the discipline defines as unforgivable.

The sutra also considers situations related to age, intelligence, and the ability to understand the Dharma. A female monastic must have sufficient spiritual maturity to understand the meaning of vows and commitments. In addition, exclusion may occur if she violates the Pārājika offenses — the gravest offenses, which permanently cause loss of the status of a bhikkhunī.